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Computer Science

Karan Parakh
Karan Parakh
792 Points
Posted by Karan Parakh
Karan Parakh
792 Points

Is the modem a switch? If not, what are the differences between the two?

I'd love for someone to help me make a distinction between the terms router, modem, switch, etc. I know that the lines between what the devices do are blurring these days, and that just makes it more difficult to understand what's going on.

1 Answer

Dave StSomeWhere
Dave StSomeWhere
19,870 Points
Dave StSomeWhere
Dave StSomeWhere
19,870 Points

Yes, it can get very confusing, especially since the typical home cable router is really a modem, router and switch all built in...

I think of it as: A Modem (modulator/demodulator) connects your home or business to your internet service provider (also possibly to other home or business locations)

Router - determines where packets go based on the IP address - If the address is external (this is where gateway comes into the picture), then it sends them out to the modem into the world or if internal it send them to the appropriate internal network.

Switch - sends packets to individual devices - if you look at the back of your home modem/switch/router and see 4 or 6 or 8 Ethernet connection slots - this is your built-in switch to send packets to your individual devices. Each one connected will have it's own IP address on your local network. (the built-in wireless access point does this and that is why you see notifications like assigning and IP when connecting to a wireless network)

Here's an article that hopefully explains it better Diff btw modem, router, switch

Hope that helps

Karan Parakh
Karan Parakh
792 Points
Karan Parakh
Karan Parakh
792 Points

It does help thinking of those devices that way. Thanks! I'm gonna try to understand what devices I have at home and what each of them does but at least now I have a better understanding of what those devices are supposed to do (individually).